Sixteenths to william d



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. M. TBS. AUTOMATIC COUPLING.

No. 537,307. Patented Apr. '9, 1895.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shet 3.

- M. M. PETTES.

AUTOMATIC GAR COUPLING.

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*Mosns PE'rTEs, or LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR or SEVEN- SIXTEENTHS TO WILLIAM D. STONEAND HARRY B. MILLIGAN, or

SAME .PLAOE.

'AUTOMATIC CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,307, dated April 9,1895.

Application filed February 11, 1895. Serial No. 537,994. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I; MOSES M. PETrEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lake Charles, in the parish of Oalcasieu and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to automatic car coup hugs and has for its'objects to provide an improved and durable construction of drawhead in which one side is formed as a forwardly extended main bumper closed in frontand on its outer side and at top and bottom, but open on its inner side to receive and house a laterally and vertically swinging draw-hook having a flexible connection with its pivot shaft and mounted therewith in the central line of draft; it being one of the purposes of my invention to so arrange this draw-hook that it will be always maintained, by a suit; ably connected spring, in the central line of draft except when retracted and locked in an inoperative or uncoupling position so that contact with other drawheads can then be had without liability of coupling.

Other purposes of my invention are to so construct and arrange the drawhead, drawhook and connections that automatic coupling may be readily accomplished without subjecting the draw-hooks to shock or strain; to so construct and mount the yielding draw-hooks that they Will always maintain a perfectly flexible engagement with each other regardless of inequalitiesin the track or changes of position due to the turning of curves; and to provide a simple and reliable mechanism for effecting an uncoupling of the engaged hooks from either side and from the top of the car, Without danger or uncertainty.

It is also one of the objects of my invention to provide a combined hook and link adapted for use in making an automatic connection with drawheads or drawbars of the ordinary pin and link typev and to maintain an effective automatic coupling,without difficulty, betweendrawheads of varying height.

Other advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear. The invention consists in certain features of construction and novel combinations in an automatic'carcouplingand drawhead, as hereinafter more particularly described.

In the annexed drawings illustrating the invention-Figure 1 is a partly sectional planof an automatic car coupling embodying my improved drawheads and draw-hooks and showing an end portion of one car provided with mechanism for effecting an uncoupling of the draw-hooks from either side of a car or from its top, similar uncoupling mechanism being provided, if desired, on both cars. Fig. 2 is a vertical centrally longitudinal section through one of the drawheads and a portion of the car. Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the draw-hooks. Fig. at is a view of the lower portion of the vertical shaft of a draw-hook. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a car provided with my improved automatic coupling and with mechanism for uncoupling from the top or from either side of the car. Fig. 6 is a plan illustrating a combined hook and link for ef fecting an automatic couplingof my improved drawhead and draw-hook with a drawhead of the ordinary link and pin type. Fig. 7 is a perspective of the combined hook and link.

The reference-numeral l designates the end portion of a car and 2 is a heavy hunter: bar or beam secured transversely to the car body immediately above the drawhead 3 which is arranged to have the usual longitudinal movement beneath the car. One side of the outer or forward-portion of each drawhead 3 is extended beyond the other side to constitute a bumper 4 the inner face of which is recessed continuously with the interior of the main portion of the draw-head to form a housing 5 for a draw-hook 6 the inner end of which is pivotally attached and supported in the central line of draft. The outer or operatingend of the draw-hook 6 is normally thrown toward and held in the central line of draft by means of aspring 7 having one end secured to the draw-hook and its other end fastened in the housing 5 or recessed main bumper portion of the drawhead. A spring of any suitable'construction may be employed for this purpose butI prefer a spring of V' form, as shown. By connecting one end of this spring to the draw-hook and the other end to the drawhead or hook-housing, the spring will be capable of exerting a pulling or restraining action on the hook, as well as an outward pressure thereon, and thus the hook will be at all times maintained in the central line of draft, except when it is desired to lock it in an inoperative position, as hereinafter explained.

At itsinner or pivotalend the draw-hook G is formed with a vertically extended eye or perforation 8 for engaging a vertically arranged shaft 9 that is journaled in circular openings or bearings 10 formed in the top and bottom of the drawhead. The side walls of the eye or perforation 8 are flattened to correspond with and fit closely against similar flattened surfaces 11 on opposite sides of the shaft 9 to afford proper bearing surfaces for enabling the said shaft to exert the required leverage for turning the draw-hook 6 out of the line of draft in the act of uncoupling. The rear wall of the hook eye or perforation S is partly cylindrical or curved horizontally on the segmentof alarge circle, and the front wall is convexed, as shown at 12, on a vertical line from top to bottom of the perforation. The rear side of the engaging portion of the shaft 9 is convexed, at 13, in a vertical direc tion and its front side, as shown at 14, is flattened. The flattened front side let of the shaft 9 is in contact with the veitically convexed front wall 12 of the hook perforation 8 and the convexed rear side 13 of the shaft is in contact with the vertically straight but horizontally curved rear wall of said perfora' tion. This construction of the shaft 9 and hook perforation 8 permits the draw-hook 6 to have a vertically swinging movement or play upon its shaft 9 in such manner as to impart great flexibility to the engagement of two opposing draw-hooks and allows them to rise and fall and glide easily along each other in vertical directions, to compensate for irregularities in the road and avoid wear and strain.

It will be understood that the drawheads 3 and the draw-hooks 6 of two cars, equipped in this manner, are'to be alike in all particulars.

The engaging ends of the draw-hooks 6 are preferably beveled off somewhat sharply, as shown, to facilitate their engagement when the cars are brought together for coupling.

Then in normal position and ready for coupling, the draw-hooks 6 have their forward ends standing somewhat outside the housings 5 and in the central line of draft, being held in this position by the springs 7 with which they are provided. It will be noted, however, that the draw-hooks 6 do not project in advance of the main abutments or bumpers 4 and, therefore, the said hooks are not subjected to any undue shock or strain in coupling. On being brought togetherin the act of coupling, the two opposing draw-hooks 6 will each yield laterally, against the expanding force of their respective springs but will, under the action of these springs, immediately resume a normal position in the central line of draft, as soon as the coupling is automatically effected. The connection of each spring 7 to its respective draw-hook 6, as well as to the housing, imparts to the draw-hook a positive elastic action that will always hold the hook in proper position, whether coupled or in readiness for coupling; and the elasticity of operation that is thus given to these hooks will keep them in close but flexible engagement whetheron a straight line of road or in turning short curves.

In order to afford a wide range of vertical play of one draw-hook upon another they are made of considerable depth, as shown. This construction,-in connection with the flexible mounting of each draw-hook 6 upon its shaft 9, assists in securing a proper coupling between cars of varyingheight and maintains a flexible engagement of the hooks notwithstanding inequalities of the road bed and track. For the purpose of insuring the ready automatic coupling of cars that differ in height, or in elevation of drawheads, the top and bottom of each drawhead is open at the inner side of its main bumper 4 and the upper and lower walls of the hook housings 5 are recessed at their inner edges along curved lines 15 in such manner that the engaged draw'hooks of two adjacent cars may glide freely up and down upon one another, without contact with either the top or the bottom of the drawhead and so, also, as to have the required freedom of lateral movement or swing in turning curves. 'Besides its main abutment or bumper portion 4, each drawhead is formed, adjacent to one side of the pivotal end of the draw-hook 6, with an inner or rear bumper abutment 16 that makes contact with the main bumper 4 of the fellow drawhead, when the cars are brought together in coupling. The arrangement of the bumper portions of the drawheads is, therefore, such that in coupling the car no strain or shock of any kind is expended either on the draw-hooks-or upon theirpivots or shafts. The d 'awhead and its coupling hook are strong and durable in all their parts and connections, with no devices liable to become disarranged or inoperative, and the draft is constantly maintained in a line with the central portion of the drawhead and with every requirement of flexibility to accord with inequalities of the track, as freely by the use of an ordinary pin and link coupling. These advantages are accompanied by simplicity and compactness in the construction of the drawhead, the draw-hook and their connections, so that only a small number of parts is required and these are not liable to get out of order.

The vertical hook shaft 9 is extended above the drawhead and has on its upper end a crank 17 arranged to be acted on by suitable mechanism for effecting an uncoupling of the engaged drawhooks from either side or from the top of a car without incurring any danwith and extended in a forward direction is a link arm 21 that is adapted to engage the vertical arm of the crank 17 on the shaft 9 of the draw-hook. By pulling or pushing the transversely extended rock shaft 18 longitudinally in the proper direction, and for a sufficient distance, the link arm 21 will be made to engage and pull or push on the crank 17 so as to rotate or rock the vertical shaft 9 in the required direction tomove the attached draw-hook 6 out of engagement with its fellow and retract it into its housing, thus uncoupling the cars. If the longitudinally movable rock shaft 18 is now turned or rotated downward and forward so that an arm 22 carried thereon will engage against one side of a locking lug 23 supported above the bunter 2, the uncoupled draw hook 6 .will be locked in its retracted position, so that it will not be capable of coupling with the drawhead or hook of an adjacent .car. Another locking lug 24 may also be provided, with which to engage the rock shaft arm 22.when it is desired to lock the draw-hook 6 in its outwardly swung or coupling position. If desired, the locking surfaces 23 and 24 may be formed by the opposite ends of a single lug or projection, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. It will be observed that the link arm 21 is formed as an open link of considerable length and width that will give all required range of adjustments and permit a ready operative connection with the crank 17 Without regard to the Varying positions of the drawhead due to its inward and outward movements beneath the car body.

In order to permit the operation of uncoupling to be effected from the top of either car,

a vertically extended lever 25 is fulcrumed at 26, on the car end, and is connected to the arm 22 on the longitudinally movable rock shaft 18; and thus, by means of this lever 25 v l the shaft 18 can be rocked to lock the arm 22 with the lug 23 or 24 as the case may be, or

to disengage it therefrom and to move said shaft 18 longitudinally, whenever required, in preparing the cars for coupling, or in uncoupling, as may beneeded.

The action of the coupling in connecting adjacent cars is wholly automatic, if the draw hooks are in proper position and the arrangement of mechanism for uncoupling from either side or from the top of either car will obviate the usual dangers attending that operation.

If a car equipped with this improved drawhead and automatic hook coupling is to be at any time connected with the drawhead of a car having the ordinary pin and link coupling connections, it is only necessary to provide a combined link and hook, such as 27, one end of which is formed with a hook 28 and the other end with a slot'29 that will have a proper degree of play on an ordinary coupling pin. The combined hook and link-27 is formed on one side and about midway its length with a shoulder 30 that is extended to one sidea sufficient distance to be out of direct line with the hook end of the, said link. This shoulder 30 is intended for abutting contact with the forward extended main bumper 4 on a drawhead 30f the construction hereinbefore described. In coupling a car having thereon my improved drawhead 3 with a car having an ordinary drawhead or draw bar constructed for pin and link coupling, the slotted or link end portion of the combined hook and link 27 will be first connected to the ordinary drawhead or draw bar by means of the usual pin. The two cars, one-carrying the combined hook and link 27 and the other provided with the drawhead 3 and draw-hook 6, will then be approached or brought together. The bumper 4 of the drawhead 3 will now strike the shoulder 30 of the combined hook and link 27 and will thus immediately swing the hook 28 into firm locking engagement with the spring pressed hook 6 of the other drawhead, thereby effecting an automatic coupling of the two adjacent cars. This automatic coupling will be accomplished with ease and certainty whatever maybe the position of the combined hook and link 27 with relation to the'drawhead or draw bar on which it is carried, Whether in direct line therewith, or inclined to one side; and the coupling will be securely maintained, at all times, without regard to jolts, jars or strains due to inequalities of road or the turning of curves. By car rying along a number of the combined hook and link devices 27 an automatic coupling of diflerently equipped cars can be readily accomplished whenever required. The combined hook and link 27 canalso be arranged on the bar sometimes carried on the pilot or cow-catcher of switching engines and thus be available for connecting that end of the locomotive With cars having drawheads of the described character.

What I claim as my invention is- '1. In an automatic car coupling, the combination of a drawhead having one side extended forward to form a main bumper and the other side wholly open at the top, bottom, front and outer side and formed with a bumper at the rear, a draw-hook housed in the main bumper and having a horizontally pivotal and vertically flexible attachment to the rear portion of the drawhead and in the central line of draft, and a spring connected to said drawhook and to its housing and adapted to maintain said hook in the central line of draft for automatic coupling with a similar drawhead and hook, substantially as described.

2. In an automatic car coupling, the combination of a drawhead having one side extended forward to form a main bumper and hook-housing closed in front and at top and bottom, the other side of said drawhead being wholly open at top, bottom, front and outer side and provided at the rear with a bumper for contact with the main forward projecting bumper of a fellow drawhead, a forward projecting and vertically thickened draw-hook housed in the main bumper to projectlaterally therefrom at the forward end of the hook but not in advance of the main bumper, a pivot shaft for said hook journaled vertically in the rear portion of the drawhead and in the central line of draft, and on which the said hook is flexibly mounted to have a vertically swinging movement thereon, and a V spring connected to the drawhook and its housing and adapted to maintain said hook in the central line of draft for automatic coupling with a similar drawhead and hook, substantially as described.

3. In an automatic car coupling, the combination of a drawhead having one side extended forward to form a main bumper and the other side wholly open at the top, bottom, front and outer side and formed with a bumper at the rear, a forward projecting and vertically thickened draw-hook housed in the main bumper to project laterally therefrom at its forward end but not in advance of said main bumper, a pivot shaft journaled vertically in the rear portion of the drawhead and on which the said draw-hook is flexibly mounted to have a vertically swinging movement thereon as well as to turn laterally with said shaft, and a spring connected to said draw-hook and its housing and adapted to thereby maintain said hook in the central line of draft for automatic coupling with another draw-hook, the top and bottom of the hookhousing being formed at their inner edges on curved lines to afiord a clearance for vertical movement of the engaged hooks upon each other and facilitate a flexible engagement of the draw-hooks regardless of unequal tracks and the turning of curves, substantially as described.

4. In an automatic car coupling, the combination with a drawhead, of a forward projecting and vertically thickened draw-hook having in its pivotal end avertically extended eye or perforation provided with flattened side walls, a vertically straight but horizontally curved rearwall and a vertically convexed front wall, and a vertically extended pivot shaft journaled in the rear portion of the drawhead in the central line of draft and engaged in the said eye or perforation of the draw-hook, the engaging portion of said shaft being flattened on three sides for contact, respectively, with the two flattened side walls of thehook eye and with its vertically converted front wall and the rear portion of said shaft being vertically convexed for contact with the vertically straight and horizontally curved rear wall of the hook eye, whereby the draw-hook will be flexibly mounted on its said shaft to be capable of a vertically swinging movement orplay thereon and be adapted to turn laterally with said shaft, substantially as described.

5. In an automatic car coupling, the combination with a longitudinally yielding drawhead, a laterally yielding draw-hook supported in the central line of draft and having a pivot shaft journaled vertically in the rear portion of the drawhead and extended above the same and provided on its upper end with a crank, of a longitudinally movable rock shaft extended across the end of the car above the drawhead and carrying a forwardly and laterally extended link arm adapted to maintain engagement with the crank on the hook shaft under varying positions of the movable drawhead and adapted to operate said hook shaft for swinging the draw-hook laterally in uncoupling, substantially as described.

6. In an automatic car coupling, the combination with a longitudinally movable draw head and a draw-hook having a shaft journaled vertically in the rear portion of the drawhead in the central line of draft and having a crank on its upper end above the drawhead, of a longitudinally movable rock shaft extended across the end of the car and carrying a forwardly and laterally extended link arm engaged with and adapted to operate the crank of said vertical hook shaft for swinging the draw-hook laterally in uncoupling and to maintain engagement with said crank under varying positions of the drawhead, a lock arm on said rock shaft, and a locking lug on the car to engage said lock arm of the rock shaft and hold the draw-hook in its retracted and uncoupled position, substantially as described.

7. In an automatic car coupling, the combination with a longitudinally movable drawhead, a laterally and vertically swinging drawhook, the vertical shaft of said draw-hook having a flexible connection therewith and extended above the drawhead and having a crank in its upper end, of the longitudinally movable rock shaft extended across the end of the car and having crank handles on both ends, the forward and laterally extended link arm carried on said rock shaft and adapted to engage the crank of the vertical hook shaft under varying positions of the drawhead and thereby operate said shaft to swing the drawhook laterally in uncoupling, the lock arm on said rock shaft, a locking lug to engage said lock arm and hold the draw-hook in its retracted or uncoupled position, and another locking lug to engage the lock arm of the said rock shaft and hold the draw-hook in its coupled position, substantially as described.

8. In an automatic car coupling, the combination with the drawhead, the laterally and vertically swinging draw-hook and its vertical shaft provided at the upper end with a crank, of the longitudinally movable rock shaft having cranked ends and carrying a lock arm and a link arm to engage the crank of the vertical hook shaft, locking lugs to engage the lock arm of the said rock shaft, and a lever fulcrumed to the carvand having one end connected to an arm of the rock shaft and its other end extended above the car, whereby the car may be uncoupled, and the draw-hook locked, from either side of the car or from its top, substantially as described.

9. In an automatic car coupling, the combination with a drawhead having on one side a forward extended bumper and provided with a laterally and vertically swinging draw-hook housed in said bumper and provided with a spring, of the combined hook and link adapted MOSES M. PE'ITES.

Witnesses:

'THos. A; GREEN,

JAMES L. NonRIs.

I to be connected by a pinto an ordinary draw- I 5 

